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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22789099">bumblebee</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/civillove/pseuds/civillove'>civillove</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>brio prompts from tumblr [24]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Good Girls (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 17:27:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,784</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22789099</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/civillove/pseuds/civillove</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>prompt from anon on tumblr: Idk if you're still taking prompts but here goes. The trio were recently on carpool karaoke and it was so cute seeing them all so carefree and happy. Mae! Retta! Christina! Just singing and having fun. It got me thinking about a dabble or story, what if Rio caught Beth in such a moment. Doing something cute or goofy when she thinks no one is watching and Rio's cold, hard, gangster heart melts just a tiny bit for her.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Beth Boland/Rio</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>brio prompts from tumblr [24]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1496387</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>121</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>bumblebee</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>lauren girl, I hope this makes you feel better &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There’s blood on his hands, but at this point it’s like a second skin. Maybe there’d be less situations like this if he chose competent fuckin’ people to work with. Every meeting he has doesn’t need to end with the sound of gunshots, though, he can’t remember the last time this business felt so easy.</p>
<p>Maybe at the beginning, when he didn’t really know what he was doing.</p>
<p>That’s when he used to sleep too, like <em>really </em>sleep. He closes his eyes now but it ain’t the same; he’s always tired but that’s how it is when you’re always runnin’. That’s the way it has to be if he wants to provide for people, if he wants to remain at the top; he doesn’t have time to really relax.</p>
<p>Not when he needs shit done and he can’t depend on <em>anyone </em>to do it right.</p>
<p>Which is how he always ends up here, in his car, with blood on his hands.</p>
<p>Aviles opens up the passenger door and slips inside, letting out a soft sigh. He’s almost too big for the car, too much personality, too many tattoos and fake leather. It’s like tryin’ to shove a G.I. Joe in a Barbie car.</p>
<p>“You take care of it?”</p>
<p>“Always, boss.” At least he can count on him for that, he’s always been good at clean up. Aviles glances over at Rio rubbing a cloth into his hands and he tries not to squirm under the scrutiny. “You should try some soap.”</p>
<p>He lets a short breath out his nose and leans further back into his seat, “I know. Gonna stop at a gas station before I’m home. I’ll call you,” He says quickly, wanting him out of his car. He doesn’t like to trail home with injuries or, in this case, evidence unless he has to.</p>
<p>Any chance to leave his business and home life unblended, he takes it. Draggin’ shit into the apartment where he son lives, even when he’s with his mom, just doesn’t sit right with him.</p>
<p>Aviles nods his head and gets out of the car, the overhead light dimming when he shuts the door and submerging him in darkness once again. Rio leans his head back against the seat for a moment and tips his neck back, fingers resting on the steering wheel and squeezing until his knuckles hurt.</p>
<p>He takes one final look at the warehouse he’s just left before pulling out of the parking lot.</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>Rio knows a gas station ain’t the best place to go grocery shopping but his list has kinda slipped his mind lately. He mills through the aisles after washing his hands, going up and down trying to find—</p>
<p>He looks up at the cashier, “You got coffee? Preferably nothin’ dark roast.”</p>
<p>She looks up from the magazine she’s reading and pops her bubble gum before motioning to his left. Rio hums and oh, there it is. He rolls his eyes and sifts through the selection and tries to figure out the best one to grab. He doesn’t drink this shit as it is, it all tastes burnt to him, so really—what’s the difference between <em>Green Mountain Hazelnut </em>and <em>Dunkin’ Donuts Hazelnut</em>?</p>
<p>He picks both packages up and approaches the counter, “You know which one has better taste?”</p>
<p>She looks up to him a second time, annoyance drawin’ her eyebrows together that she has to address him when she’d rather be reading her magazine. “What?” She looks down at the coffee and, “Oh, I dunno dude, they’re both pretty terrible.”</p>
<p>“Cool.” He mutters because of <em>course </em>it’s the most unhelpful cashier at this shithole gas station. “Can you pick one and ring me up?”</p>
<p>She rolls her eyes and picks up the <em>Dunkin</em>’ coffee grounds and he pays her in cash, slipping a twenty back into his pocket when he realizes the one corner has blood on it. Should probably wash that.</p>
<p>Rio nods his head in thanks and takes the plastic bag from her, his fingers itchin’ for a cigarette as he steps outside into the cool night air. Last thing he wants is to smell like smoke when he goes home, so he gets in his car and drives a little above the speed limit to make it there faster.</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>Rio lets out a long sigh as he climbs the steps of his apartment complex. He knows in the back of his mind that the elevator works just fine but he wants to displace some of the nervous energy he feels nipping at the joints in his knees.</p>
<p>He digs in his pockets for his keys as he rounds the corner of the hallway and pauses outside his apartment door when he hears something.</p>
<p>Is that music?</p>
<p>He drags the key along the wood for a moment, just listening, the corners of his mouth pulling up as the sounds of upbeat jazz thrum against his eardrums. There’s the soft tinging noise like a triangle instrument being tapped, mixing with soft spirals of guitars strumming. A woman’s voice breaks through the music, tone as smooth as velvet—singin’ about bumblebees.</p>
<p>
  <em>Shoo-ee, you hurt me like a bee</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>A bumble bee, a evil bumble bee</em>
</p>
<p>But that’s not what has Rio’s attention; it’s the voice paired with the woman singing jazz.</p>
<p>He opens up his front door, very careful not to make any additional sound and toes his shoes off as he closes it. The song continues to play, reverberating sound off his walls and cherry wood floors. He moves until he can see the kitchen, leaning against the corner of the room so Elizabeth is in his full view.</p>
<p>She’s makin’ something sweet; pancakes? Maybe. Might be French toast, he can’t quite make out all the ingredients. His eyes are trained on her anyways, she’s moving in small circles to the beat of the song, her hair tied back but slippin’ free because of her movements.</p>
<p>She’s got an apron on, flour on her one cheek, belting out another set of lyrics,</p>
<p>
  <em>I gave you love as sweet as honey</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>My life, my soul and all my money</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>You didn't seem to realize</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>You had a home in paradise</em>
</p>
<p>Rio crosses his arms over his chest, his gaze sliding over her form like honey. Her hips twist and she tries to still her movements enough that she can work with the food prep on the counter, but she’s gettin’ ingredients almost everywhere. The mess doesn’t bother him, it’s more entertaining to watch her, even though her voice is off key.</p>
<p>He smiles a little, chewing on his lower lip as Beth continues to do her thing; his presence unnoticed. He’s going to have to say something sooner or later, even though he could stand there for as long as it takes. She’s rarely so carefree; too many worry lines on her forehead.</p>
<p>When the music swells, the song almost over, Rio takes a step forward, “Do I gotta buy tickets to this performance?”</p>
<p>Beth twirls and <em>screeches, </em>her hands going up from being surprised. The kitchen is dusted with a soft snowing of flour, her cheeks going bright red at being caught. Rio smirks, can’t help himself, his eyes skittering over the mess she’s making.</p>
<p>“How many times have I told you, you can’t do that!” Beth insists, her hand hovering over her chest as she turns the music down.</p>
<p>
  <em>Now, baby, there's no need of crying</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>I'm sick and tired of your lying</em>
</p>
<p>“Oh no, don’t stop on my account. Sorry,” Rio says but sounds anything but as he sets the gas station plastic bag down on the counter, “Hazelnut grounds, can’t tell you if they’re any good or not.”</p>
<p>Beth huffs out a soft sound, fluttering her bangs against her forehead. She smiles a little when her heart rate slows, clearly pleased that he remembered to bring home coffee. “Thank you. You’re not off the hook for scaring me.”</p>
<p>
  <em>Shoo-ee, you hurt me like a bee</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>A bumble bee, a evil bumble bee</em>
</p>
<p>He leans against the counter, trying to figure out what she’s makin’, “Am I the bumblebee in this scenario?”</p>
<p>She pouts, her lower lip stickin’ out and he really hates when she does that, his hand moving to thumb at it before he realizes she’s making homemade pancakes. His stomach rumbles in earnest and he’s glad the music is still on so she doesn’t hear it.</p>
<p>He then swipes his thumb over her cheek to clean off the flour.</p>
<p>“I’m not going to squish you, if that’s what you mean.” She says and grabs a tea towel to wipe herself off and the dusting on his counter. He’s wearin’ straight black and he knows the longer he’s in there, the more likely he’s going to get little white dots on everything.</p>
<p>“Besides, you got me coffee.”</p>
<p>“I did do that.” He agrees, purposely licking his lips so that her gaze is stuck on the action. He leans in closer, into her personal space, almost creatin’ a cage around her body with his arms. “Didn’t the song say ‘Just one kiss before you go’?”</p>
<p>Elizabeth smiles, the tips of their noses brushing together, “Yeah but I don’t recommend following that because what comes after is ‘Don't ever come back no more’.”</p>
<p>Rio sighs gently and their lips graze, his hand moving to curl her hair around her ear, “Guess a kiss isn’t necessary then,” And acts like he’s gonna pull away. Beth slips her hands into the pockets of his hoodie and tugs, not allowing him to leave, a smile on her pretty face.</p>
<p>“I didn’t say <em>that.” </em></p>
<p>He leans forward and captures her lips almost instantly, the kiss slow and sugary sweet. He memorizes the taste of her, the insistence of her mouth, the way he feels when she gives herself over to him. The way he does the same.</p>
<p>He pulls back after a moment and kisses the corner of her mouth, just because. Beth presses her forehead against his own and takes a step back, fixing her apron. “You gonna help me finish up these pancakes?”</p>
<p>Rio nods, unzipping his hoodie and tossing it to the side so he has more mobility in his t-shirt. “Yeah, only if you turn the music back up. Teach me that hip thing you were doin’?” He bumps his hip with hers, making her laugh.</p>
<p>It’s more pleasant than the jazz vibratin’ the walls of his apartment.</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>I REALLY enjoyed writing in Rio’s perspective for this piece! I should do it more often :) thanks for reading! The song Beth is dancing and singing to is called <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nerE4RYVLjE">‘Bumble Bee’ by LaVern Baker</a>; I got a jazz playlist ya’ll.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i'm always at blainesebastian on tumblr; come talk or throw prompts at me</p></blockquote></div></div>
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